Double-acting air valve



Nov. 14, 1939. M- M MccRAcKl-:N 2,179,750

DOUBLE-ACTING AIR VALVE Filed June 30, 1938 Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DouBLE-ACTINGAIR vAIivr;` v Mark M. Mecraeken, portland, ereg. Application Juneau, 193s, serial No. 216,808 1 claim (o1. 137;,6'9) 'l This invention relates to Aan improved valve and one object of the invention is to provide a `Valve of such construction that it will serve'as a combined air release valve and alsoto prevent formation of a vacuum in a pipe line or liquid container. It will thusbe seen that during lling of a pipe line or container air will be prevented from interfering with `lling of the same and also that during emptying'of the container or line a vacuum may be broken if -one startsA to form and the liquid caused to flow freely.`

Another object of the -invention is to so construct the valve that it may be very easily applied to the top of a storage tank-or other place of use and to further so construct theivalv'e that, as the tank is lled, yair mayw pass outwardly -through a discharge at the top of they valve casing `and this outlet closed by a iioat control member before liquid can pass out through the air outlet.

Another objectief theinventionis to provide a release for accumulated air while the line or tank is full and in operation;

Y It is another object ofthe invention to so construct theclosurle for the air outlet that in case the closure should. stick and failtoarnove downwardly as liquid is drained out of the tank an auxiliary air passage may be uncovered `by downward movement of the float and thus permit air to enter the valve casingv and prevent formation of a vacuum which` would interferewith free flow of liquid out of the tank.. f

Another vobject of the invention is to provide a valve oi this character which is simple in construction and not liable to readily get outV of order. l

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view through the improved valve,

Figure 2 is a View taken transversely through the valve along the line 2-2'of Figure 1, y v

Figure 3 is a top 'plan vview foi the-nipple through which air'passes out of andcinto 'the valve housing, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken transversely through the valve along the line 4-4 of Figure 1. f

The casing l of this valve is of cup-shaped formation and at its bottom is formed with a depending neck 2 formed with a threaded bore` 3 or ilange connection in order that this casing may be connected with a nipple leading from a pipe line or through the top of a container to be lled with liquid. The casing is open at its top taken4 :vertically and about theopeny upperend of the casing is formed an outstanding ciroumferentially extending iiange f4 'through vwhich openings are formed to receive bolts v5 by means of which a head `orcap 6 isfsecured tothe casing. A disk 5 or lower spiderl 'l'is located in the lower portion of the casing l in vertical spaced relation to the bottom of the casing?andissupported in this .position by arms 8 which extend between margins of the disk and walls of the casing and are 10 formed integral therewith so that the disk will :be firmly supported and-maintained at the desiredl distance above the bottom ofthe casing.

Referring to' Figure-1,` it will -beseen that the disk is downwardly thickened, thus providing a T15 depending extension 9. By so-iorming the disk,

anopening I0 which is-iormed through the disk -centrallythereof and vin! axial .alinement with the bore of theneck 2 will have considerable The capliis formed with an upstanding and 20 Acentrally located neck Il'defming a chamber I2 atthe top of the casing when the cap is secured to the casing. 'Ihe upper portion of the neck is internally thickened and threaded and into .this threaded portion of the neck is screwed a I nipple v.I3 carrying, an voutstanding circumferentiallyAv formed. collar or .flange vI4 which bears againstthe upper edge-,face i of they neck and limits inward movement of the nipple through 30 .thexneck. ..'It.will thus.` be seen` that, .when a wrench. is engaged about the wrench-engaging portionllE .of the`nipple1.the. nipple may be )screwedtightlyj into place and a tight connec- 'tion formedbetween theyneck and the., nipple. .35 .If so desired, a gasket may beV provided between the flange and the upper edge face of theneck to insure formation .of a. tight joint. A disk or `upper spider i6 which is of lless diameter than thepocket l2 is disposed:v at thexlower end of this pocket .andsupported by webs or iside. arms l'l which extend betweenwallspof the. chamber or `pocket and `opposite 'side portions of. the disk. Thesekarms arei'formedxintegral. with the disk `.and 4,the bodyy portionaiof thecap fand, therefore, 45

the disk will be firmly supported with its center opening I8 in axial alinement with the opening l0 of the disk l. By providing the cap with the disk I6, a valve I9 consisting of a metal disk having centrally located upper and lower stems 20 and 2l may be supported, as shown in Figure 1, with the disk ofthe valve resting upon the disk I6 and the upper stem slidably engaged in a sleeve 22. This sleeve which serves to guide movement of the valve is located centrally of 55 and liquid through the nipple.

the nipple I3 and is rmly secured in axial ret lation to the nipple by arms 23 extending radially between the sleeve and the nipple and formed integral therewith. Marginal portions of the valve are beveled, as shown at 24, and this beveled edge portion of the valve is to seat against the valve seat 25 at the lower end of the nipple when the valve is moved upwardly its full extent. 'Ihe lower stem 2l is slidably received in the opening I8 of the disk I6 and is of such length that, when the valve is in engagement with the seat 25, the lower end of the stem 2| will still be engaged in the opening I8. Attention is called to the fact that both of the stems are hollow' or of hollow tubular formation, thus demn'g an air passage 26 which extends from the upper end of the tube 20 to the lower end of the tube or stem 2|. The portion of the air passage 26 within the stem 2| is of `greater diameter than the portion within the stem 20 and adjacent the upper end of the stem V2I there have been formed side passages 2l which are closed by the upper end of the stem or shank 28 of a iioat 29 during upward movement of the valve and the float.

lThe iloat is located within the valve casing I, land in order to cause movement of the stem or shank 28 with the float, there have beenprovided disks. 30 and 3I rigidly carried by the stem or shank and engaging upper and lower ends of the jfloat. The lower end portion of the stem or `'shank 28 extends downwardly and is slidably received inA the opening I lformed through the disk 'I. By Athis larrangement vertical movement of theoat will be guided and the stem or shank 4 through the nipple I3., When liquid enters the Vvalve casing. and moves yupwardlytherein, the floatwillgbe carried upwardly with theliquid. `Duringthis upward movement of the float, the

valve will be carried upwardly until it is seated against. the valve seat 25 to'shut off flow of air During this upward movement :of the valve, the upper end vof ythe shank l28 will have first moved upwardlywin ythe stem 2| to fclose the inner ends of ,the side passages Y21:.and, therefore, air will be prevented from'pas'sing throughp'these side passages and `out through the tubular stem 20. ,While vthe line is. in operation or filled with liquid, should .there be any air accumulated it will rise tothe top iof the chamber formed by rthe casing I,

The valve I9 will still be held in ywater level Athereby openingthe air passage 26 to allow the accumulated air to escape. The

-escaped air will permit thewater level in the I chamber formed by the casing I Lto rise, lifting the float 29 into place and closing'the air passage 26 before any liquid may escape, thereby making it unnecessary to drain or shut off the system to release the undesirable accumulated air. When liquid is drawn from the storage tank or the like to which the valve is applied, the liquid will move downwardly in the valve casing and under normal conditions the valve I9 will move downwardly with the iioat out of engagement with the valve seat. Air may then pass inwardly through the nipple I3 and through the chamber I2 into the valve casing. It occasionally happensl that the valve will stick but the float will move downwardly with the liquid and, therefore, the upper end of the shank 28 will Vmove out of closing relation to the side l passages 2'I and air may pass downwardly vacuum will Ybe prevented and the liquid will flow freely out of the storage'tank. If it is discovered that vthe valve has become stuck, a dislodging instrument may be passed inwardly through the nipple about the sleeve 22 or the .nipple may be unscrewed from thev neck of the cap. The valve may then be dislodged and replaced and the nipple thus screwed back into the neck. It ,will also be seen that, if cleaning or replacement of the iioat is necessary, the bolts --can be removed and the cap then lifted from-y the valve casing to permit access to the float. l .f

lI-Iavingthus described the invention, what is claimed as' new is:

A valve ofthe character described comprising a casing having a liquid inlet at its bottom, a cap for ,fthe upper end of said casing formed With-a neck and with an upper spider in the lower portion of the neck, a lower spider in the casing spaced upwardly fromy the liquid inlet, Ya nipple mounted in said 'neck and defining an air passage, a sleeve mounted in said nipple in `spaced relati'onftothe wall thereof, a valve resting upon the upper/spider and having upper and lower stems,`the upperfstemA being slidably receivedin said; sleeve and the lower stem being slidablyengaged through said upper'spider, said 'stemsbeing of tubular formation to provide an auxiliary air.A vpassage and the lower stem being formedl'with -side ports vleadinggfrom the lower portion of the auxiliary air passage-a float in #said casing, and a shankfor said-float extend- Ying vertically through the -samewith its lower A portion slidablyengaged through the lower spider and its upper portion slidably engaged in the Nlower'stem'of thev valve and movable therein into and outvof position to close the side ports,

"said shank having limited upward'movement within the auxiliaryair vpassage' whereby upon lower end of the nipple'and'close the nipple. I I A MARK M, MCCRACKEN.

"upward mvment @fthe float theY valve will be shifted'. upwardly into position 'to engage the 

